THE NE.W YORKER on top of chaos. This chemica] reaction of words and notes was Virgil Thom- son's discovery. Not until her collabora- tion with Thomson, in the opera "Four Sain ts in Three Acts" ("Pigeons on the grass, alas"), was it Gertrude Stein's intention to compose another kind of music, much as Edith Sit well had done in "Façade" ("Daisy and Lily, lazy and silly"). According to David Vaughan, Berners originally composed "A Wedding Bouquet" for a singing chorus, and that was the way it was performed at first. I've never heard the sung version, but the change to a spoken narration must have altered the relation of words and music from sOD1ething like Thomson's setting of "Four Saints" to something more like William Walton's setting of "Façade." (Ashton, of course, had made the cho- reography for both those works.) The speech that rattles along in rhythm to the music in " A Wedding Bouquet" has an inescapably English, Sitwellian ring. The frivolity is all wrong for Gertrude Stein. In spite of Anthonv Dowell's untheatrical voice and dead- pan delivery, the effect is incongruous, like tying rIbbons on an elephant. D AVID GORDON'S latest piece, a polyphonic construction for danc- ers and dancers' voices, is called "What Happened." I've no idea whether Gor- don intends homage to Gertrude Stein, but Stein certainly was a patron saint of the theatre and dance people who, like Gordon, performed at the J ud- son Memorial Church in the early six- ties. One of the great events of those years was a production, featuring a cast of dancers, of the Stein play "What Happened." (AI Carmines wrote the mUSIC, sounding neither like Lord Ber- ners nor like Virgil Thomson.) In that period, it seemed that words could be used with dancing only if they wen: by Gertrude Stein, and I must admit that, ever since, whenever they weren't they haven't sounded right to me. Either the dancing reports what the words are already saying or it strays so far from the verbal meaning that I can't guess what connects the two. Stein's sen tences have the virtue of specifying nothing while keeping the attention 181 Ite v UONEOFTHE ! ' LOVELIEST CA TALOGUES. . ." You'd think she was writing about Saks or Neiman-Marcus. Actually our customer was writing about our latest mailing, The Very Thing's fall and winter catalogue in four colors. In it we've tried to use imagination to tempt you with such delectable items as a priceless old Country Brougham, ultra suede skirts and matching cashmere sweaters, jogging suits, wine coolers, dressing gowns, go Id Mexican earrings, duffle bags and belts. In spite of our enthusiastic client we're keeping a level head and charging only $1 for the catalogue. May we send you one and add your name to our list of rather select people? .. ................ ..... .... .... .... : Name : Address : City . : State Zip The Very Thing' on the green at Boar's Head Charlottesville, Va. 22901 . . . . . . . . .................................. .. --..... .':". .... ...v.: 'The . Eftgl i h .'\lineTable $19..0.0 .". .. - ". ... "" ., ..' .f ';âétJ1:; ! ! , l}! /E t5ti51: t!;;:: Tß' Priced..:.4ir,ftctly:::lfu m' o-ur..factorjr: ':::a:t.:'{llJ."[l$tbnislflng $.19 ... 3ß' {(if fw<i " ..Plea$.eå(fir$ ' PAfí tot..Shi:pping -.:.and häiif!litig ., þimensirins;:=::20ff. ..'::": .' high". '.=131.1 "ailiméïéh']{I aturally..,::' .::YQ It. T at sfq,ç (9:11:...ì ..gM r(!-.nßl!.øil .'Ta' ß :tfj; rlg/jl1 v/l: M::; :á:;::If1;tdktV: ;::i Jfr: :; ..' full f;Q.Jor prqqu(J.t, PJlb,.l cqt(qn",:: .' ..... . .' 1]he:':Bombay. Co P J1,Y ..... ':::::' .... ::. P:-:.f?: Eox"'S3323 :I!ept. ..l;f.Y;:,: ..::. . ...:.:::,.: .:, .':', ". .' ". $6.Magaztnë.St , Ne.w .Orlea s LQu t4na:: ZOl53,:;:' ". .' .... .!eJ p fì : 94( 9!.:'4 05:: .